Electric-lamp socket.



F. PA GATS.

ELECTRIC LAMP SOCKET.. vAPPLICATIQN {ILEn 1uLY 15.1915.

` Froment@ Pz,

Patented' Apr. 1916.

Sii

lsecured to tlfe spindle 12. vIt has heretofo'r been customary to splitthe end of the spin.`

FREDERIC P, GATES, OF HARTFORD, COL\Tl\TECl1CUT,A ASSGNOR TO THE ARROW,

ELECTRIG COMPANY, HARTFORD,

Nnoriouif.

CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF' CON- vELECTRIC-LAMP SOCKET.

l Application led July 15, 1915.

My invention relates to electric lamp sock` ets and particularly' toporcelain sockets, the object of my invention being to provide a socket'of improved construction havin the features of novelty hereinafterdescribed and shown inthe accompanying drawing in which-f Figure l is aside elevation of a socket in which my invention is illustrativelyembodied Fig.. 2 is an elevation partially in section of the switchspindle and thumb piece; and Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the latter.l*

ln the form here shownthepresent socket comprises an insulating casingl() of porcelain 'or the like vcarrying` wire terminals and switchmechanism (not shown) within the upper portion thereof which may beoperated by the porcelain thumb piece .11 operatively engagingthekswitch spindle 1Q. The circuit is as usual led to the lampieceptaclecontacts, of which only thescrew shell 13 isA here shown.` `Theporcelain casing is extended below the latter a considcirabledis y tanceand is flared `put sharply. The flaredl portion of the skirt serves as areflector which delects downward the 'rays of light normally upwardlydirected from-,the lamp. The etiiciency of the 'latter is thusincreased.

A. second feature of 'improvement Ain the y `present constructionresides in .the man rf in`whiclbthe y porcelain thumb piecey .li

dle and spread the opposite sides of the split end in a well in theouter end of the thumb piece, by a'staking operation. This method ntfattaching the thumb piece not'cnly adds the expense of a secondoperationupon*the; y

j. pfncehiiii'A casing, a switch spindle projecting thereirdin,` aporcelain thumb piece pierced spindle after the thumb piece is assembledthereon, in order to accomplish the stakingl operation, but it lis alsoattended by a very heavy percentage oic breakage .which seems to beunavoidable inthe practical accom plishment of the staking operation.The

staking Voperation thus .performed secures. the thumb piece at the outerend against .Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916. sei-iai No. 40,110*

a shoulder formed upon the spindle adjacent the in ner end of the thumbpiece so that there is practically no longitudinal playol'f the thumbpiece on the spindle. 'l have now modified the method of attachment bystriking wings 13 from the end of the spindlewhicli engage ina crossslot 14.0pening to the well 15 in the outer end of the thumb piece.vThis ailords an engagement between the parts serving. to 'prevent theirrelative rotary displacement and enabling thel oper-M atorto actuate theswitch mechanism by the rotation of the thumbpiece through the.engagement of the latter with the wings 13 .et the spindle. To preventthe longitudinal displacement oi. the thumb lpiece on the r,spindle to asuiiicient extent to permit the iii-'ings to 'escape lfrom the well 15,Ihavemade the spindle o fvsuch'length'that in the assembled positionthereof inthe socket body only a very slight longitudinaliplay of thethumb piece on the spindle ispermitted before the `shank 16 thereofabuts against the side of thel porcelain j body. This longitudinaldisplacement is so 'slight that the wings 13 are retained at all timeswithin the well 15 and cross Vslots Ligand the operative engagementbetween thethumb piece andspindle vthus insured. l

-`To assemble the parts ity isfmerely necessary to pass the spindle,with the wings 13 already formed thereon through the thumb piece llhin adirection to'sleat the wings-.in the "cross slot. i4 with the length of"the spindle projecting through the shank 16.;

The customary staking operations which are thereafter performed upon:rthe spindle in `order toleng'age it with thelswitch frame and out`danger of injury to the thumb'piece.v Various modificaticnsof the twofeatures of the construction hereinabove described .fwill'r'eadilyysuggest themselves to those `viskilld inthe art without departing fromwhat i claim as my invention.

` '1 claim as AmyA invention z l. An 'electric lamp socket comprising :i

by said spindle, and having. a non-circular :Wellin its'outer end,together with a noncircular abutment on the spindle within said wellengaging said thumb piece vto prevent relative rotary ydisplacement, otvthev latter 'with relationvto the spindle and conning circuit breakermay be' raccomplished withsaid thumb piece so closely between saidpiercing and opening to the opposite end of the thumb piece to receive anon-circular head on the end of the spindle whereby the thumb piecemaybe assembled upon the spindle by passing the latter through the welland piercing until the head, of the spindle reste in the bottom of saidnoncircular well, in combination with'stakings on said spindle engagingwithin the lamp socket to prevent the escape of the thumb piece from thespindle in the assembled position of the parts.

l In testimony whereof I have ignecl my name to this speciication, inthe presence of two subscribing` witnesses. u FREDERIC P. GATES;

f Wrthesses B. HEYMANN,

BENJ. C. PniuiiNe.

